Charles frederick



(No Model.)

0. FREDERICK.

CASH CARRIER.

No. 468,650. Patented Feb. 9, 1892.

INVENTOH ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES CHARLES FREDERICK,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF COLUMBIANA, OHIO.

CASH-CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,650, dated February 9, 1892.

Application filed May 26, 1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES FREDERICK, of Columbiana, in the county of Columbiana and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Cash-Carrier, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in cash-carriers of a type wherein a wire track is used to supporta traveling carriage, the objects being to provide a device of the character indicated with improved means to removably hold a carriage at a station, novel mechanism to actuate the carriage, so as to propel it from one station to another, and also to furnish improved means for removably attaching the cash-receptacle to the carriage proper.

To these ends my invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, formingapart of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side View of the device, partly in axial section, showing the parts adjusted ready to communicate a progressive impulse to the carriage. Fig. 2 is a plan view, in axial section,of the forward portion of the actuating device for the carriage, shown in part, in connection therewith. Fig. 3isasectionalplan View, in axial section, of the rear end portion of the carriage-actuating device. Fig. 4 is a sectional side View of the forward portion of the propelling mechanism of the cash-carrier, showing the parts in forward adjustment. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan View of the cash-receptacle of the device detached, and Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the forward part of the device on the line 6 6 in Fig. 2. v In Fig. 1, A is a depending hanger-arm whereon the entire device at each station is suspended from a stable support above it, reaching a point that is accessible from the fioor to permit the convenient manipulation of the mechanism provided to dispatch cars or carriages on a single wire from station to station.

A horizontal guide-tube 13 is secured to the lower end of the hanger-arm A by its engagement near the center with a T-shaped socket- Serial No. 394,101; (No model.)

piece a, that is secured upon the exterior of the guide-tube in any preferred manner.

Vithin the guide-tube B a cylindrical spring-case O is fitted to slide freely, having such a proportionate length as will permit a proper longitudinal movement of the latter.

Inside the spring-case C a spiral spring D is inserted of equal length therewith, having a hearing at the forward end of the case on an abutmenthead b, that is a terminal radial enlargement of the pusher-rod E, which latter is tubular and of a suitable length to project through the front end of the springcase and also through the front end of the guide-tube B when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, and the spring-case is rearwardly adjusted Within the guide-tube, as will be further explained.

The pusher-rod E is held centrally within the guide-tube B, at the front end of said tube, by its loose engagement with an axially-perforated head-block c, that is secured in the front end of the guide-tube, the rear end portion of the pusher-rod having a loose engagement with the centrally-apertured case-head d. This connection of parts will cause the spring D to press on the pusher-rod and actuate it longitudinally by the expansion of the spring, which latter has its rear end seated in a cup e, that is made to loosely fit the interior of the spring-case O at its rear, said case being enlarged diametrically within for a proper distance from the rear plugged end e of the spring-case forwardly to a point 6 and thus permit a compression of the spring D to be effected.

The rear end of the guide-tube B, or terminal end, that is farthest from the traveling carriage of the cash-carrier when all parts are in place, is closed by a removable plug g, that is longitudinally perforated at its center to receive a sleeve g, through which the line-wire G is inserted. Said line-wire or track whereon the traveling carriage moves is forwardly extended through the center of the spring-case C, the guide-rod E, the springcup 6, and plug e being perforated to allow such an introduction of the wire to be effected.

As shown in Fig. 3, the spring-cup e is pressed upon at its rear end by the set-screw bolts 9 which pass loosely through the plug 9 and have a threaded engagement with parallel-tapped; perforations in the case end 0, so that the inward movement of these setscrews will slide the spring-cup and compress the spiral springD if the headb of the pusherrod E is held in place. To effect the temporary retention of the head I), a detent-dog h is pivoted in a slot in the head-block c, a toe on the dog entering alocking-groove h in the guiderod, as shown in Fig. 4, when the parts are in forward adjustment, as will be further exnlained, the dog being pressed by a spring 71 that causes the engagement when the toe of the dog is above the groove.

The actuating-lever H, that by its vibration effects a compression of the spiral spring D a proper degree to afford the necessaryimpulse to the traveling carriage I, is pivoted by one end, as at m in Fig. 1, to an ear m, that depends from the head-block c, said lever being preferably bent at at sufficiently to dispose the rear portion .of the lever in a plane about parallel with the guide-tube B when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, ready for service. I

The body of the lever II is connected loosely to the end wall or plug 6' of the spring-case O by a link-bar J, that is pivoted thereto at 0, where it engages a depending ear 0, and to the lever at 0 a contractile spring M, which is connected at 19 and p, to the leverand linkbar, respectively, serving to return the lever to a normal position when swung on its pivotpoint an downwardly and forwardly, as indicated by an arrow 1 in Fig. 1, the travel of the case being permitted by a longitudinal slot 19 wherein the ear 0 will slide.

A preferably cylindrical-shaped projection ris formed on the front end of the head-block c, which projection is annularly grooved to receive an annular cushion s, of gum or similar elastic material, that is designed to arrest the carriage I and absorb the shock of its impact, the cushion having a sufficient projection exterior of the head-block to allow it to receive the impinge of one of the head-flanges s, that are portions of the carriage-frame and project vertically therefrom at each end of said frame.

There are two similar plate-springs N provided, which are adj ustably held by the screws to in channels produced at each side of the head-block a, so as to project their main portions forwardly of the cushion s at each side of the same, these projected portions being recurved, as represented in Fig. 2, so as to admit the frame-barn of the carriage I and clasp the frame against the cushion s when the carriage impinges thereon. The carriage 1 is provided with two wheels I, that are pivoted between its frame so as to rotate freely and engage their grooved peripheries with the track-wire G. Below the carriage-frame a holder-case O is secured by its upper end so as to depend vertically therefrom if the carriage is in a horizontal plane, the case be- 1 ing made cylindrical and open at the lower end, having an annular groove w formed on the inner surface near the free lower edge.

There is a cylindrical cash-box P furnished of such a relative diameter and length as compared to similar interior dimensions of the holder-case O that the cash receptacle or box will freely enter the latter when slid upwardly from below to engage therewith. A fiat bottom wall to is formed or secured on the lower end of the cash-box P, which wall is radially extended beyond the side wall of the box, and thus affords an abutment, which will engage the lower end of the holder-case O and limit the insertion of the box in the holder when the parts are assembled.

A lever P is provided .for the cash-box P to lock and release it to and from the holdercase 0, which is effected as follows: A curved wire spring 03 is attached by its ends 00 to the bottom wall w of the cash-boxP after the lever has been secured to the spring, preferably by inserting the latter through a perforation laterally formed in the lever near one end, as at 0: in Fig. 5, which connection will hold the lever yieldingly against the lower surface of the box-bottom wall and allow it to be swung downwardly in the direction of the curved arrow 2 in Fig. 1. Upon the edge of the lever P that impinges on the bottom wall to a hook 10 is formed,which will enter the groove to in the holder-case 0 when the lever is in folded adjustment, as shown in Fig. 1, the bottom wall being indented or cut away at a proper point to permit the hook to enter the groove, and thus interlock therewith, so as to retain the cash-box P in the holder 0.

It being understood that the track-wire G is stretched taut between stations, so as to be freely traversed by the carriage I, the operation is essentially as follows: The clerk who desires to transfer cash and the bill of purchased goods from his station at the counter to the cashiers desk pulls the lever P of the cash-box P downwardly, so as to release the box,into which the cash is inserted, and then the box is replaced. The lever being swung back is thereby interlocked with the holdercase and retained, as before stated, by the spring as. The billof goods should be placed between the box-bottom w and the adjacent edge of the lever P, so as to avoid crumpling the bill to place it in the cash-box. The operating-lever H is now swung downwardly and forwardly, which movement will cause the pusher-rod E to slide forwardly a short distance, so as to permit, the dog it to enter the circumferential groove h, and thus retain the pusher-rod from further forward movement. The continuation of the movement of the lever H forwardly after the dog it is interlocked with the pusher-rod E will cause the cup e to slide forwardly until arrested by the shoulder 6 thus compressing the spring D, as will be readily understood, the spring-case being forwardly moved by the lever as the ear 0 slides in the slot 13 forwardly. The front end portion of the case-head d is projected beyond the spring-case wall and rendered slightly coniform to allowits tapered wall to slide be- I IIO low a projecting end portion of the detent-dog h and raise it out of the groove h, When the carriage I is in proper connection with the springs N and cushion b, the end of the pusher-rod E will lie near to the flange s of the carriage I, so that when the actuating-leverH is fully vibrated and releases the detentdog h the rearward sliding movement of the rod and its head i) will be reversed and the spring D, that was fully compressed thereby, will be suddenly released and its expansive force exerted to propel the carriage on the line-wire Gwith sufficient force to cause it to reach the opposite terminal of the line, where a similar apparatus will receive the carriage and arrest its progressive movement. In order to ease the shock of the head I) of the pusher-rod E when it strikes the case-head cl, a gum spring (2 in washer form may be placed on the rod between the parts named, which will receive the impact of the sliding abutment head or flange and prevent noise or jar. As soon as the carriage I has been dispatched the spring M will return the lever H to its normal position, and all attached parts also, ready to receive the returning carriage and its attached cash-box.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In acash-carrier apparatus, the combination, with a depending fixed arm, a guide-tube thereon, a case within the tube, and a spiral spring within the case, of a pusher-rod in the case, adapted to be actuated by the spring therein and provided with a circumferential groove, a detent-dog on the guide-tube, adapted to interlock with the groove in said rod when the rod is moved from rear to front of the guide-tube, means for sliding the springcase in the guide-tube and causing its front end to release the dog, a track-wire, and a carriage traveling on the track-wire, substantially as shown and described. 4

2. In a cash-carrier apparatus, the combination, with a depending fixed arm, a horizontal guide-tube thereon, a cylindrical case in tho guide-tube and adapted to slide therein, a lever pivoted at its forward end to theguidetube and connected by a link with the cylindrical case, a spring in said case adapted to be compressed when the lever is vibrated, and a hollow pusher-rod in the case and guidetube having a circumferential groove, of a track-wire extending through the spring-case, guide-tube, and pusher-rod, a wheeled carriage on the guide-rod and carrying a detachable cash-box, two curved plate-springs on the front end of the guide-tube, adapted to engage a flange on said carriage, and a springpressed dog on the forward end of the guidetube, adapted to interlock with the groove of the pusher-rod and to be tripped by the front end of the spring-case when the operating-lever is vibrated, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a cash-carrier apparatus, the combination, with a carriage having a depending cylindrical holder-case on the carriage-frame, interiorly grooved in its side wall near its lower end, of a cash-box fitting in the holdercase, and a lever on the bottom of the cashboX, pressed by a spring to a contact with said bottom and provided with a toe adapted to enter the groove in the holder-case when the parts are assembledand the lever is in folded adjustment, substantially as shown and. described.

4. In a cashcarrier apparatus, the combination, with a wheeled carriage-frame and a cylindrical holder-case depending therefrom, having a circumferential groove within, near the lower edge, of a cash-box loosely fitting the holder-case, a U-shaped spring on the bottom of the cash-box, and a lever secured to the U-shaped springand provided with a toe that will interlock with the groove in the holder-case when said lever is folded on the bottom of the cash-box, substantially as described.

CHARLES FREDERICK. Witnesses:

J. Gr. AUGUSTINE, F. A. Wlrr. 

